


lost and found

by jenocentric



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 2021 bump for some tweaks i made, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mild Language, Pining, Slow Burn, changed the rating to teen and up because, side jaemsung, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27588299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenocentric/pseuds/jenocentric
Summary: “Isn’t it just so pretty to think that all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?”In which anti-romantic Jeno and hopeless romantic Renjun end up finding each other, quite literally.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Jeno
Comments: 21
Kudos: 195
Collections: '00 FIC FEST ROUND TWO





	lost and found

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Prompt #00039

Known as one of the youngest violin prodigies in the country, Jeno became a household name. Besides bagging trophies and awards from joining musical competitions, the media exposure from TV guestings and performances and commercial films from brands that took Jeno as their ambassador didn’t help with keeping him lowkey. At the tender age of 10, Jeno has become so used to being exposed, and because of his introverted and closed-off nature, he’s growing tired of it. Even the praises he gets feel more like a burden now than anything else.

His parents might have noticed how Jeno’s feeling, so they decided to do something about it by moving to a house on the outskirts of Seoul where it’s less bustling and more peaceful, something Jeno might need. Jeno really appreciates that, but he also isn’t sure if change is something he needs right now. 

After months of planning, it’s finally time for Jeno’s humble family to move into their new home. He didn’t really mind the moving day. After all, his mom Seulgi told him his room would be bigger, something he definitely looks forward to. But it so happens that the day coincides with the launch of the new volume of his favorite manga. The last thing he wants to do is spend his day unpacking boxes and arranging things to their rightful places. None of his moms wanted to go with him ("We have lots to unpack, sweetie,” his mom Irene said exasperatedly), so despite being unfamiliar with the place, Jeno braved going to the nearest bookstore alone.

He managed to find the store in the matter of 10 minutes, thankfully because their new house is just a walking distance away from the town proper. He doesn’t waste time, and upon entering the shop, he walks straight to the manga aisle to grab a copy of the new volume. He quickly lines up to the cashier and pays. He then goes to an uncrowded corner to finally start reading. He couldn’t sleep properly for weeks when he finished the last volume. He has to know then and there what happens next.

Preoccupied by reading the first page, Jeno didn’t notice that someone stopped and stood in front of him.

“Excuse me. Are you Lee Jeno?”

Upon hearing his name, Jeno looks up from the book he’s reading and sees a scrawny kid about his age. He’s wearing a very pretty smile on his face that even though Jeno feels a little annoyed by being disturbed, he doesn’t mind the other’s presence.

Remembering that he’s being addressed, Jeno meekly nods. He was kinda expecting the stranger to claim he's a fan and ask for his autograph, but instead, Jeno’s arms are dragged by him.

“Great, come with me!”

Though the kid was obviously smaller (and shorter), his pull on Jeno is strong as they brisk away from the bookstore and through the street of different shops. Jeno wants to say something, maybe complain about being deprived of his peace (reading his favorite manga), but no, he lets himself be dragged to God-knows-where. The kid shouldn’t have smiled at him. It has clouded Jeno’s mind.

“I bet you’re already hungry. It’s past lunch time after all… but don’t worry! I will treat you to something really good!” The stranger blabbers, still pulling Jeno with him.

“Umm, sorry, but who are you?” Jeno inquires. He should be concerned as to why he’s kinda being kidnapped by some person, and why he’s letting it happen. But surprisingly, he wants to know the name of this person more than anything else.

“Oh, how rude of me to not introduce myself!” The stranger exclaims, and then he abruptly stops walking, making Jeno almost bump into him. 

“My name is Renjun.” Renjun turns to look at his company. He yet again smiles that pretty smile of his and then slides his hands from Jeno’s elbow where he had been pulling him, down to his hand, holding it tightly.

Jeno feels like someone just plucked a chord in his heart, and its name might be Renjun.

A few more minutes of walking and Renjun’s nonsensical blabbering (“This shop sells pretty crystals! I met a bunch of real-life witches there”), they arrive at a Japanese ramen restaurant. 

Renjun enthusiastically pushes the doors of the establishment open and pulls Jeno in with him.

“Good afternoon, Auntie,” greets Renjun to the lady who’s wiping one of the tables. She stops and waves enthusiastically at them. Renjun moves around with familiarity and brings him to a seat near the entrance just by the window.

“You have a really handsome company today, Junnie,” says the same lady who is now handing them the menu. Jeno murmured a ‘Thank you.’ “Your boyfriend?” 

Jeno almost choked on his saliva. 

“Auntie!” Renjun whines. Jeno thinks the blush creeping on the other’s cheeks is adorable. “I’m too young for that!” Renjun pouts, and Jeno thinks there’s something wrong with himself because even Renjun’s pout is cute to him. The lady just lets out a chuckle. 

After letting Renjun order for the both of them, Jeno turns his head around to examine his surroundings. 

The first thing that he noticed when Renjun brought him to the restaurant was the Noren curtains at the entrance. The said curtains have japanese characters in it and Jeno assumed that those characters spell out the restaurant's name. He also noticed that the structure is far more different from the shops he visited when he went to Japan. Jeno can't help but to feel like they have travelled back in time. 

The restaurant has lanterns as their lighting, the tables and chairs are made with wood and even the floor—Renjun almost scolded Jeno for stepping in with his shoes on. 

They also have old movie posters and paintings attached to the wall. Jeno is squinting his eyes to read the texts written on the posters when he hears a quiet laugh near him. He quickly darts his head towards the sound and sees Renjun smiling at him. Jeno silently prays to the Gods that the latter didn't see him blush. 

The smell of the food lingers around the place and eventually soothes Jeno's nose, making him sniff once more. The thought of eating here everyday passes Jeno's mind but he shoos them away because he knows Seulgi would probably get dramatic once she hears their son wanting to eat something other than her wife's cooking.

When their order arrives, they start to eat in silence, or more likely, Renjun stops talking for the first time in favor of eating.

In Jeno’s opinion, the dish is one of the best Japanese ramen he’s ever had, and that speaks a lot, because he had ramen in famous restaurants in Japan whenever he went there to perform. It’s just, every bit of this ramen is good-- the homemade miso flavour of the soup, the texture of the noodles, the fusion of vegetables and meat, even the _tamago_ tastes better than anything that Jeno had. 

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Renjun inquires with a bright grin, seemingly pleased that Jeno is enjoying the food. The latter almost forgot that he’s with a company.

“Y-Yeah,” Jeno manages to answer, suddenly feeling conscious with the way he eats. He must’ve been eating like he’s been starved for months. Jeno internally cringes. Talk about making a good impression. 

Wait, _why_ does he have to make a good impression? 

Jeno looks up to see Renjun eating like he’s the one who’s starved for months, and suddenly, Jeno isn’t feeling too self-conscious anymore.

When they’re close to feeling full, Renjun decides to talk again.

“Your moms are my dads’ friends!” He exclaims. “My dad Ten was Aunt Seulgi’s classmate back in high school, while my other dad Kun was Aunt Irene’s neighbor in Daegu. You’ll meet them later,” Renjun tells all this while cutting Jeno’s _tamago_ in half. “The miso soup tastes better with the yolk.” Renjun smiles sweetly after the deed, and Jeno feels some sort of warmth in his chest.

All of a sudden, Renjun lets out a squeal, breaking Jeno’s trance.

“Oh my God! Auntie played my favorite song again. This is why I love her!” Renjun almost bounces on his seat. “Do you know this song? I bet you don’t! It’s Mariya Takeuchi’s Plastic Love. It’s a really great song. I’ll show you the Korean translation to the lyrics later. It’s really good!”

There’s no doubt that Jeno perceives Renjun as chatty, but he doesn’t mind it at all. If anything, Jeno thinks it’s more of a charm than a flaw. And Jeno thinks that Renjun gets a little more charming as he sings along to the lyrics of the song while dancing cutely to the beat. 

“By the way,” Renjun momentarily stops singing. “Aunt Seulgi asked me to fetch you from the bookstore, because she knows you'll get lost on the way back.”

Jeno wants to disappear. Why does his mom have to share such embarrassing detail? Renjun must’ve noticed him cowering in his seat.

“Are you shy? Please don’t be. I mean, we all have flaws, and surely you do, too. For a minute there, I thought you were the most perfect boy in the world because you’re the most handsome one I saw in my 10-year life.” Renjun nods to emphasize his point. “But obviously, you aren't perfect, because you tend to get lost in places, no offence. But that’s okay, because that just means you’re human, a _really_ handsome one.”

Jeno is so, so used to getting compliments, but this is the very first time he feels genuinely happy to receive one. Maybe it’s because it came from someone who, in a short span of time, already starts to mean a lot to Jeno.

“Auntie’s restau is famous in this area because of its 80’s theme! It's actually my second most favorite place in the world. First being my house. Oh, I can’t wait to tour you in our house! I helped my dads decorate it. We just moved 5 months ago, by the way. Also, have I mentioned that we’re gonna be neighbors? I haven’t, have I? Well, we’re gonna be neighbors!” Renjun continues to blabber, and Jeno continues to admire him more and more by the minute.

And as Mariya Takeuchi’s Plastic Love plays in the background while Renjun explains how the song detaches people from love, ironically, Jeno learns what falling in love for the first time might feel like.

∞∞∞

In this world, there’s this force called fate, and to defy loneliness, it has assigned a soulmate for each person to be with for the rest of their lives. But contrary to popular belief, fate doesn’t just choose a pair in random. It carefully selects people who would fit each other’s dynamics, habits, and ideals. It can be opposites attract or people of the same interest.

For a person to find their soulmate, fate also made an indicator that is unique for each pair. The indicator will only appear once fate deemed it the right time for the soulmates to finally meet. Sometimes, an indicator may appear earlier in the lives of the soulmates, but it may take them years or even decades to realize they already have it...

"I think that's utter bullshit," Jeno mutters, making Jaemin gasp. The latter just told Jeno how a strange thing has happened to him lately, and he thinks it has something to do with finally having a soulmate. 

"Jeno! Can’t you be a friend?! You know how long I've been waiting for my soulmate indicator to happen!" Jaemin huffs, clearly unhappy at how dismissive Jeno is about the whole thing when it’s supposed to be a big deal.

"Well, you asked for my opinion, I just told you my input," Jeno shrugs.

"You're insufferable!" 

"I've figured."

“But Jeno, you can see it, too! I’ve been getting sore spots and bruises out of nowhere! I’m not hallucinating! I don’t even do drugs!” Jaemin exclaims in conviction. To reiterate his point, he raises his right arm, almost shoving it on Jeno’s face.

“Yes, I see it, but it can be anything, you know,” Jeno answers, eyeing the clear, huge bruise that _magically_ appeared on Jaemin’s wrist when he woke up the other day. “How sure are you that you didn’t accidentally hurt yourself? You can be clumsy at times.”

Jaemin sighs exasperatedly. “Jeno, even if I did accidentally hurt myself, I'm very sure I won't just… get a huge ass bruise this… _big_!” Jaemin shoves his arm on Jeno's face once again. "And if I did cause it to myself, I would be aware of it!"

"Uhuh," Jeno shrugs, and Jaemin can only squint his eyes at his friend's nonchalance.

“You know what, I give up talking to you about this. It’s like talking to a goddamn wall.”

Jeno slightly flinches. 

“You know how much I waited for this… So even if you still haven’t grasped onto the _‘soulmate thing',_ as you like to call it, at least show some support,” Jaemin says, and although softly this time, Jeno hears the hurt in his tone. He feels a little guilty.

“Sorry…”

“Nevermind. Just don’t make me say ‘I told you so’ when this thing that you despise the most happens to you as well.” With that, Jaemin stands up from their table at the outdoor cafeteria of their university and makes his exit.

Jeno chuckles at that, because even if he does have a soulmate, the only person he has ever wanted will never be them. He just knows it.

Suddenly, his phone vibrates. It is a text from his mom Seulgi.

**_from: mom # 2_ **

_jeno, baby, im on my_ _way to your dorm ^^_

 _your mom irene made_ _side dishes for you!_

 _she wanted to go with_ _me but there's suddenly a_ _meeting at her company._

_where are you?_

_please be home_ _so i can see you._

 _i cant remember your_ _face anymore ㅋㅋㅋ_

 _love you take_ _care baby boy._

Jeno shakes his head at how good his mom is at flooding messages and ending it with a cheesy note. Nevertheless, it leaves a smile on his face.

∞∞∞

"Mom, you brought a lot," Jeno says as he stumbles to the elevator of his dorm building, carrying the stacks of food containers his mom brought.

"That's why I said I'll help you carry them!" Seulgi slaps Jeno's arm in a scolding manner, making Jeno yelp. 

"As if I'll let an old lady like you carry these things." Jeno can only chuckle as he receives another slap from his mom. When the doors close, she punches the floor of Jeno’s apartment.

“If only you pursued your musical talent, you wouldn’t have learned to be so rude.” Seulgi sighs.

“Mom!”

“Because musicians have poise, Jeno! Ever since you entered middle school, you turned into this weeb… _mess_ \--” 

“Wow, you know the word ‘weeb’?” Jeno chuckles.

“--and then your social skills became _worse_ , and the next thing we know, you want to become a doctor!” His mom continues to rant as they walk out of the elevator to the hallway of Jeno’s floor.

Indeed, Jeno changed a lot when he entered middle school. He got more into reading mangas, and one particular manga really piqued his interest. It’s heavily science-based, and it became the reason why Jeno did well in the subject. Along the way, Jeno also realized his dream. A dream that doesn’t involve any performing in huge crowds or playing the violin. Yes, Jeno loved it. It was his passion. He enjoyed doing it, but it turned into an obligation, a burden. He still loves playing the violin, but he became certain that he didn’t want to pursue it as his future career. So when high school started, he retired from performing. It came as a shock to his moms, but they supported his decision. When he turned senior in high school, though, they didn’t take the news of Jeno wanting to be a general surgeon well. They tried talking Jeno out of it, but he was so determined to do it that they eventually relented.

“Other moms would kill to have a son like me, you know. I'm the so-called 'Asian Mom Fantasy'.” Jeno snickers.

"Well, maybe we’re not like other moms. We just want to have our cute son back.” Jeno rolls his eyes at that. “Give me your key, I'll open the door."

After rummaging through Jeno's front bag pocket and fishing out the key, they rush inside once the door is unlocked. Jeno precariously takes off his shoes by the entrance and rushes to the kitchen to set out the food.

"This kid…" Seulgi shakes her head as he collects Jeno's shoes and puts them on the rack. She was taking his indoor slippers when she noticed a fluffy white pair that stands out from the rest.

"Oh this is cute. Jeno, let me borrow these slippers for a while!" Seulgi exclaims as she wears them. She then goes to the kitchen to give Jeno his pair and to help him with the dishes.

"Eh? Where did you get those slippers?" Jeno asks. His mom gives him a look.

“I asked you earlier if I can borrow these. Of course I saw them in your rack!”

“Weird… Xiaojun can’t own any of those.” Jeno frowns, still staring at the slippers.

“Well, maybe it’s his boyfriend’s, you know, that cute guy?”

“Lucas? Cute?” Jeno shudders. “Yeah, he may be, but I’ll bet my savings he doesn’t own those. They’re too… tiny for him.

Seulgi turns to Jeno from putting a handful of kimchi on a plate. 

“Then who could possibly--” She let out a gasp. “It’s your soulmate!” 

“Mom!” Jeno groans. “Here we go again…”

“Oh, shut up! I knew it. Those random things that keep appearing in your room isn’t just some occurrence.” She abandons what she’s doing, scrambles to the living room to fish out her pen and notepad from her bag, then sits on the couch to write.

“What are you doing?” Jeno can only stare at his mom.

When she’s done writing, she starts explaining. “Okay, so remember how when you were 11, random things started appearing in your room and none of us would claim to own them?”

“So?” Jeno crosses his arms.

“So, when you simply shrugged off those occurrences, your mom and I actually started collecting those things--” 

“You what?!”

“--because we already had an inkling that this has got something to do with your soulmate--”

“Mom…”

“--and now that it’s still happening to you even when you’ve moved out of our house, I am very certain now that it does.”

“Oh please, mom--”

“Shh! Just listen to me, Jeno. Enough with your I-am-a-rational-person persona,” Seulgi glares. “Remember how your mom and I found out our indicator?”

Jeno sighs. “Well, allegedly, things that you carelessly throw away, thinking that you don’t need them anymore but you’ll actually need in the future would appear in Mom Irene’s bag… while things that Mom Irene would allegedly forget to do, you’ll always remember…”

Seulgi rolls her eyes at the use of allegedly.

“Right. And that’s because those indicators are made for our dynamics! I am fond of putting literally everything to the trash, while your mom Irene tends to forget things easily.” Seulgi claps her hands together, as if concluding something. “That means your soulmate is one who tends to lose their things!”

Just when Jeno is about to open his mouth to say something, his mom goes on.

“And this just proves us right about your other indicator! You know, how whenever you get lost, you would-- Hey! I’m still talking to you!”

Jeno has already retreated to his bedroom.

∞∞∞

If Jeno has one weakness, it is being bad at directions or getting familiar with places. Ever since the first time he went out on his own, he often gets lost on the way back. What’s more ridiculous is how, at times, he still gets lost even in places he frequents to. His moms call it an adorable mistake that has happened too many times, his few close friends call it a disease. Jeno would like to call it a _flaw_.

However, things changed when he turned 11. 

The first time it happened, a girl in Jeno’s class invited him to watch the Phineas and Ferb movie with her. Jeno said yes, because he wanted to watch that movie, too, and none of his friends wanted to watch it with him. On that very weekend, he asked his mom Irene to drop him off outside the cinema complex and not pick him up until early in the afternoon. 

They met up and watched the movie as planned, but when Jeno was about to contact his mom to fetch him when it ended, the girl had other plans. She took him to the nearest fast food, and not wanting to upset her, Jeno relented. He thought it was weird how this classmate kept on fidgeting on her seat, as if something was wrong. He thought his inkling was right when she started talking eventually, but what transpired next is worse than what he had expected.

She confessed to him, and of course, Jeno rejected her. What even made it worse was how fast Jeno did it. 

Red in humiliation (and incoming tears), she walked out and left Jeno alone in their seat. Jeno followed her outside, wanting to apologize, but he couldn’t spot her anymore in the sea of people. He was suddenly hyper aware that he’s somewhere out of his comfort zone, an unfamiliar territory.

He took his phone from his pocket to contact his moms, but he was surprised to see that his battery had drained out. He was starting to panic but decided to stay calm. He was at the top of his class, third in their year. He’s deemed a genius by almost everyone who knew him. He would get over this crisis undeterred. 

He had pocket money with him. His mom Irene would always give him in case of emergencies like this. He just had to ride the bus to the block near his home. He knew that block. He wouldn’t miss it. He just had to face his first obstacle: finding the right bus stop.

Sighing, Jeno braved the direction his instinct was telling him to head into-- the left. He started walking, and saw nothing but trees, benches, and grasses. It was a little later when he realized he headed to the park connected to the complex, so he turned to the right, intending to go back to where he started, but instead, he came across a really familiar street, just a few blocks away from his house. Wondering why and how he suddenly got there, he took the path that would lead to his block, just to confirm that the place just didn’t look like the one he knew.

It turns out he was right, because after taking a few more walks, he was suddenly in front of his house.

Jeno’s jaw slacked at what just transpired. Jeno’s a guy of science. He never believed in coincidences and moments of chance, so how can such a curious thing happen? He just couldn’t make sense of it.

“Jeno!” Renjun called out as he was going out of the house just beside Jeno’s. “Are you going anywhere?” Renjun skipped toward the other. Still dazed about the earlier incident plus his crush showing up out of nowhere, Jeno could only manage to shake his head.

Renjun clapped his hands giddily at that. He then slung his arm around Jeno’s. “Great! I’m going to the ice cream store, and you should come with me!”

Jeno had a great afternoon then (except when his mom Irene scolded him for not contacting her and making her worry he got lost somewhere, which he almost did), but the strange occurrence still lingered. And what’s more, it happened again, and again, and again, and again. Whenever he got lost somewhere, he would somehow just magically end up in front of his house. When it got so frequent, he decided to share it to his moms, only to regret it in the end, because they started speculating it as a soulmate indicator.

Yes, Jeno would wonder relentlessly, what force on Earth might have caused this to happen, but still, the idea of soulmates is far-fetched for him. He doesn’t believe in the crap, even when his parents obviously clings to the very idea of it. After some time, though, he started to shrug off the wonderment, especially when he went to university. He became better with being independent, thus, he also learned how to memorize his way around (though the first day, he messed up with directions again and somehow ended up at the Fine Arts building, where he saw Renjun and furthermore embarrassed himself when he asked for help in getting to the right building).

In conclusion, he got over it, but his moms didn’t. They’re still so into it, so convinced that it has something to do with his soulmate. 

Jeno would always snort at that. Soulmates. If they’re indeed real, and fate doesn’t just randomly throw people at people, why won’t it throw the only person he has ever wanted?

∞∞∞

The 7th song from Lana Del Rey's Lust for Life on shuffle in Renjun's speaker is closing to its end. It is their go-to breakup album, and it's come in handy again. 

The song finally comes to an end, and when the 8th song starts playing, Renjun lets out a pained sob.

"I don't belong in the world, that's what it is," Renjun mutters along to the iconic spoken-word intro. "Something separates me from other people." He takes a deep breath. "Everywhere I turn, there's something… blocking my escape.”

Donghyuck, his best friend and roommate, rolls his eyes at that.

"You're more dramatic than usual, and I hate it." He shakes his head before taking a swig from his can of beer. 

" _Well_ ," Renjun scoffs. "The song is _13_ Beaches, and I just broke up with my _13th_ boyfriend!" 

It was Nam Dareum, a second year. He is younger than Renjun, but according to the latter, he was the most mature out of all his past boyfriends. He’s sweet, gentle in nature, never starts an argument, has a clear disposition in life, and Renjun was pretty sure he was the one. That is until Dareum came up to Renjun the other day to break up, saying he had finally found his soulmate. _Great_.

Donghyuck almost spits out his beer upon hearing the info. "Holy crap… how did you end up dating _that_ much?" 

Renjun is known among their friend circle as the hopeless romantic one. Ever since he became aware about the concept of soulmate, he was determined to do everything to find his own, even if he ends up dating all the boys in the world, which is something that he’s surely been doing. He started having a boyfriend when he was 14, and since then, he has never been single for more than a month. His friends didn’t mind this shenanigan of his, but they are concerned about how many times he had failed in this field. It’s either because Renjun isn’t the serious one, or his partner isn’t.

"I don't know. I’m just… desperate.” Renjun sighs. “How will I be able to get my soulmate indicator if I don’t go finding my soulmate? And _if_ I already have my soulmate indicator, how will I be able to know if I don’t go finding my soulmate?” 

Renjun may sound pathetic, but it’s all he has ever wanted. Growing up, he witnessed the kind of love his dads share -- a love that is simple, yet speaks so much. A love that is _there_ , unchangeable and deep. Renjun swore he would one day have that, too, but it’s harder than what he anticipated.

Donghyuck shakes his head. “God, you’re so drunk…” Donghyuck gives him a mocking pitiful gaze, as if furthermore pressing that Renjun is indeed pathetic.

“Oh of course, you won’t understand! You already have yours.” Renjun scoffs. He will never admit it, but out of everyone in their friend circle, he’s the most jealous of Donghyuck. He had his soulmate indicator two years ago, and it didn’t take long for him and his soulmate to find each other.

“That’s because I wasn’t trying so hard to look for my soulmate,” Donghyuck counters.

Renjun rolls his eyes. “Yeah, go on. Keep adding salt to the wound. As if I don’t already know that you’re lucky, and I’m not.”

Donghyuck rises from his seat to smack Renjun’s ass (literally) at that, making the latter yelp.

“Bitch, that wasn’t my point! My point is you have to stop looking at the wrong places for your soulmate!”

Renjun pouts. He’s aware of that. He had his fair share of toxic relationships, but despite that, he can’t seem to stop. There’s this saying that he faithfully grasps onto, “I will never know unless I try--” 

“And try, and try, and try,” Donghyuck cuts him off. “Junnie, I’m sorry, but that saying doesn’t apply to everything.”

Renjun lets out another sigh. “Then what am I supposed to do?! Stay a single man until I turn 50 when it’s too late for me to find my soulmate?” Renjun shudders. “I don’t want that,” he mumbles.

“Okay, first of all, 50-year-olds can still get their soulmate indicators. Stop being ageist.” Donghyuck frowns. “Second of all, no one’s stopping you from getting into relationships. It’s just, why don’t you try to brake from your usual lane and look _around_ for better options?” Donghyuck suggests, and Renjun thinks his words have implications.

“Why do I feel like you’re setting me up onto something?” Renjun squints his eyes, and Donghyuck just shrugs.

“I don’t know, Junnie. Maybe you should start looking at boys who are already in your life rather than outsider fuckboys?” Donghyuck swirls his beer can, looking at Renjun meaningfully. Somehow, Renjun feels like this is leading to something he may not like. “At least with boys who you’re familiar with, things will be easier. Plus, they know you well already. It will be easier for you to be yourself. Most of all, they already have a rough idea about your obsession with soulmates, so it will be easier for them to accept that.”

Renjun lets out an incredulous chuckle. “And who do you suggest? Jaemin?!” 

“Duh! As if you two would click it off,” Donghyuck scoffs. “I was actually thinking more of… Jeno, perhaps?” 

Renjun, who was in the middle of taking a swig from his drink, chokes. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Why?! What’s wrong with Jeno?” Donghyuck raises his defensive voice. “Just so you know, out of all of us, Jeno is the best candidate. And in case you missed it, which you probably did, Jeno embodies everything you’re looking for in a boyfriend.”

That’s true. Jeno is knee-weakening handsome, talented, and really smart. He may come off as cold for he’s the less talkative type (and overall just an introvert), but he’s very caring to his family and friends. Indeed, he possesses everything that Renjun is looking for. But there’s one problem.

“Please, Donghyuck. He literally doesn’t like me.”

Donghyuck wants to laugh. “You always say that!” _What do you know?_

“Because it’s true! We used to be really close when he moved here, but now he almost never talks to me.” Renjun lets out a feigned sob.

It’s true. When Jeno moved to the house beside his, Renjun made it a habit to squeeze himself into Jeno's life. Though Jeno doesn’t really talk much, Renjun makes up for the dead air, and that made their dynamics fit for the both of them. And even though Jeno usually likes being alone, he didn’t mind being with Renjun. He would go wherever and do whatever the older pulls him into. Jeno was a great friend, and Renjun really cherished their moments together. 

“And it’s you and the rest of the guys’ fault!” Renjun glares.

“Us?” Donghyuck scoffs.

“Yes! Because ever since I introduced you lot to Jeno, we started falling apart.” He crosses his arms.

Renjun has always been good with people. He always knows the right words to say, and he never fails to put a smile on other people’s faces. But he’s never been tight to anyone as well as with his childhood friends, Donghyuck, Jaemin, and Yangyang. When Jeno came along, their group of four instantly became five, and they’ve been the best of friends ever since. However, among them, Jeno is the most awkward with Renjun, which is ironic because the latter is the one who introduced Jeno to the rest. Renjun was also Jeno's first friend in town. Jeno doesn’t totally ignore him per se, but he isn’t as close to him as to the others. At first, Renjun would complain about it, often whining at Jeno for not bonding with him as well as Jaemin and Yangyang, or not asking him for advice like how he does with Donghyuck. Jeno would only chuckle at that, but made no effort in changing their situation. In the end, Renjun just gave up complaining and let things be. It’s not like Jeno completely crossed him out in his life. As long as they’re still friends, it’s fine.

“But it makes me sad sometimes, you know. I always wonder what went wrong.”

Donghyuck wants to snort. _You started dating other boys, that’s what went wrong._

It’s no secret in their friend group that Jeno has a huge crush on Renjun, but unfortunately, it never occurred to Renjun. That’s why they were there to comfort Jeno when Renjun had his first boyfriend. It was also the time that Jeno decided to distance himself from Renjun to help him cope with his feelings, reason why they, in Renjun's words, fell apart. But nothing came of that distance. If anything, Jeno's pining grew even more over the years and so did his feelings. And all of them know that, except the one in the receiving line of Jeno’s unspoken affection-- Renjun.

“Me too. I wonder why.” Donghyuck tries to not sound sarcastic.

“It’s your fault! You took him from me!” Renjun sulks.

Donghyuck snorts for real this time. “Yeah, right.” 

“But seriously, I can't date Jeno.” Donghyuck raises his eyebrows at that. “And it’s not because I won’t have feelings for him.” Renjun sighs. “It’s quite the opposite… We would start dating, and then we’d fall in love. And what if we don’t end up being soulmates? That would sting… a _lot_ , and I can’t risk that, Hyuckie. We’re friends!” 

“Wow, can’t believe you’ve gone that far into the future.” Donghyuck chuckles. “Still, there’s a huge chance that might not even happen, you know.” 

Renjun frowns. “I can’t risk such things, Hyuck. Jeno is very important to me…”

“So you'd rather date those awful guys than the better fish in the sea who might potentially be your soulmate?”

“Do not word it like that!”

Truth be told, Renjun just doesn't want Jeno to be entangled in a mess like himself.

∞∞∞

Two years ago, when Renjun broke up with his 8th boyfriend, he realized something.

It was raining hard, and his boyfriend-- now ex-- just dumped him. He was cold, and he just wanted someone to be with him. So he called Haechan, and when he didn’t answer, he called Jaemin, and then Yangyang. After minutes of wondering why his friends wouldn’t pick up, he remembered that they went to a music festival. He was supposed to go with them as well, but he favored going on a date, which, by that time, he didn’t know was the last. Renjun sighed. He had one more option to call. One last person. The one who didn’t go to the festival, because he would rather stay home and binge on his favorite anime. And Renjun dialed his number. 

Renjun gulped, and the line started ringing.

“Don’t pick up, don’t pick up, don’t pick up.” _Please pick up._

“Hello?” Renjun almost dropped his phone when a deep voice he knew so well answered.

“J-Jeno, I’m sorry for disturbing you at this hour--”

“Do you need anything?” Jeno cut him off, and had Renjun paid attention, he would hear the worry in Jeno’s voice.

“Uhh, it’s nothing really important… I just wanted someone to come pick me up, but that’s not really necessary. I can go home by myself. I--”

“Where are you?”

Mere minutes after the call ended, Jeno arrived at where Renjun was sitting at the pavement outside the bar he and his ex-boyfriend went to just hours ago. Renjun rose from where he’s sitting and was surprised when Jeno pulled him into a hug. 

Renjun didn’t know why, but the gesture made him crumble on the inside, and before he knew it, he was already clutching on the back of Jeno’s hoodie, crying his heart out.

Inside Jeno’s car, he drove while Renjun rode shotgun.

“I’m sorry for wetting your hoodie,” Renjun broke the silence.

Jeno momentarily breaks his eyes from the road to glance at Renjun. “No, please don’t say sorry. If anything, I’m sorry for just… suddenly hugging you.”

“Oh no, no. It’s alright!” _It made me feel better._

Silence took over them once again. Jeno decided to fill it in by opening his music player. Renjun’s eyes widened at the familiar intro.

“You remembered?”

Jeno smiled.

“I will never forget, Renjun-ah.” And when Jeno turned sideways at Renjun, even though it just happened in some milliseconds, his smile made the latter feel some things he had never felt before. A lot of people call it ‘butterflies in the stomach’. 

_Ever since that day I got hurt by love_

_I’ve been living a vampire life_

_While dancing the night at trendy discos_

“I will never forget how happy you were when you heard this song play the first day we met.”

Renjun smiled at the memory. He was indeed a kid that felt happiness with simple things, even by merely hearing his favorite song play somewhere. But these days, it was hard for him to be happy, not when things in his life started to become upsetting and disappointing.

“And honestly,” Jeno spoke again. “I wish I could see that same kind of happiness in your face again.”

Renjun just stared teary-eyed at Jeno, wondering if he knew just how much the impact of his words had.

They pulled up at a nearby coffee shop, and Jeno went out to get something for them. Renjun stayed in the car, watching Jeno’s figure from afar. He observed how Jeno walked to the entrance, holding the door for an elderly and letting her come inside first. Renjun's gaze followed his movement through the clear glass… the way he pulled out his wallet from his back pocket while falling in line, the way he adjusted his glasses as he looked at the menu, the way he nodded as the cashier talked to him, the way he tapped his finger at the counter as he waited for his order, the way he bowed at the staff when his order finally came.

Renjun observed Jeno as he walked out of the shop, holding two drinks in his hand. Renjun looked as Jeno met his eyes, giving him his signature eye-smile while waving a pack of brownies -- Renjun’s favorite-- at him. Renjun stared as Jeno came closer and closer, and Renjun felt as his heartbeat became faster and faster.

_Never love me seriously_

_Love is just a game_

_If I am having fun,_

_that’s good enough for me_

And as the chorus of Plastic Love played, Renjun realized, through watching Jeno do the most trivial things on Earth, that he is in love-- has been in love-- ever since he heard the same song play at his favorite ramen shop with his favorite boy.

∞∞∞

"Jeno! Here!" Yangyang waves enthusiastically from the seat he reserved for them at the outdoor cafeteria. He's sporting his huge gummy grin that Jeno couldn't help but smile back at him. 

Jeno takes the seat beside Yangyang. "Where's Jaem?" he asks.

"Oh, he ordered food with his boyfriend. They're going to treat us!" Yangyang says. Jeno lets out a confused noise. “Boyfriend?”

“Oh, yeah! Jaemin said they just got together last night. Crazy, right?”

This confuses Jeno. Wasn’t Jaemin just ogling about finally having his soulmate indicator a week ago? How come he got a new boyfriend now? Did Jeno’s words discourage him? Jeno bites his lower lip at the thought.

“Oh speak of the devil!” Yangyang makes another enthusiastic wave, and Jeno turns his head to see Jaemin waving back at them while approaching their table. Trailing behind him is a tall boy who looks kinda timid. 

“Oooh! His boyfriend is cute! But isn’t he a bit different from Jaemin’s usual type?” Yangyang ponders.

It’s true. Usually, Jaemin is into manly guys who his friends like to label as ‘fuck boys’. This one looks far from that league.

When Jaemin and his boyfriend arrive at their table, they set out the food on the table while exchanging quick greetings. 

When they’ve finally taken their seats, Jaemin finally introduces his company.

“Everyone, meet Jisung,” Jaemin lovingly gazes at the said guy who was sharing the same love-struck look. “My boyfriend… and soulmate.”

“What?!”

As they start to eat their meals, Jaemin tells the tale.

“So I attended the spring festival two months ago, and that's where we met for the first time." Jaemin and Jisung look at each other at the same time, and Jeno thinks their sync is amazing, as if their minds have an unspoken connection. "He's part of a dance team, and they performed there. One of their members is my friend, and that's how we were introduced. He was so shy then, but I think he was the cutest person I've met." Jisung turns beet red at the praise, making Jaemin giggle. 

"Oh wow, you're an astronomy major who dances in his spare time? That's awesome! It's like living a Hannah Montana life, you know? The best of both worlds?" Yangyang laughs at his own joke, and Jisung just laughs awkwardly.

"Yeah. It's a hobby," he says while awkwardly rubbing his nape, making Jaemin coo at how shy he is.

"Anyways, we exchanged numbers and so we started texting. I really have a lot of fun whenever I talk to him, because he would tell me all sorts of things and I would think it's cute how he would get interested in little things that most people don’t pay attention to.” If Jeno takes a shot every time Jaemin calls Jisung cute, he would’ve been drunk by now. His friend is so whipped. “But I didn't really think we would hit it off. I mean, for what it’s worth I could only see him as a close friend.”

Jisung pouts, making Jaemin coo once again, pinching both of his cheeks. Yangyang and Jeno both whine at how cheesy the couple are.

“But of course, that’s not the case now. Thanks to our soulmate indicators!” 

Jaemin is smiling so brightly right now that Jeno thinks there’s nothing in the world that would upset him at this moment. He guesses that’s how the soulmate concept works, to those who believe it, that is. But to cynics like him, there’s not much luck, and it’s not like he’s hoping for one in the first place.

“How did you two find out about your indicators?” Yangyang inquires.

“Well,” Jaemin takes a deep breath, as if revving himself before telling a really important story. “Remember when I told you about me randomly getting bruises and sore spots?” Jeno and Yangyang nod, and for some unknown reason, Jisung blushes. “Turns out it was Jisung’s indicator! Since he’s quite clumsy, plus he tends to strain his body during dance practices.” Jaemin grins.

“So, does that mean that whenever Jisung physically hurts himself, you would feel it, too?” Yangyang asks.

“Yes! And we made a discovery that it also applies to me! And that’s how we found out we are soulmates.” Jaemin giggles. “You see, we were eating out the other day when I accidentally poured the hot soup on my thumb, and it made Jisung flinch too. At first, we couldn’t believe it, but we tried hurting ourselves purposely for four more times, and we would always feel the same thing!” That made all of them laugh.

“Gosh, you’re both such idiots. No wonder you’re soulmates!” Yangyang says, still laughing. 

“I really didn’t believe in two-way indicators before but after experiencing it myself, I do now.”

The idea of two-way indicators basically just means that a person can experience the indicator designed for their soulmate. Jeno has heard it from his moms-- Irene would remember things Seulgi forgets, and Seulgi would get Irene’s trash that she would still need in the future. 

“We are yet to find out Jaemin’s indicator, though,” Jisung says. The soulmates share another long, loving look.

“It’s fine, Ji,” Jaemin smiles, holding Jisung’s hand with his. “We will get there eventually. What matters is we have each other now.” 

Yangyang fakes a gag, ensuing to him and Jaemin to bicker at each other like what they always do.

Jeno hates to admit it, but the way Jaemin and Jisung gazes at each other like they’re the only persons in the room, the way they hold each other like they’re the most-priced treasure in the world, somehow, he wants that, too.

After some time, Jisung and Yangyang had to leave for their classes, and only Jaemin and Jeno remained at their table.

“Have you told Donghyuck and Renjun yet?” Jeno asks.

“Not yet. I’m somehow getting back at Donghyuck for not telling me about his soulmate first.” Jeno shakes his head at Jaemin’s pettiness. He remembers how the Jaemin sulked when he found out that he was the last to know about it. “And I didn’t want to upset Renjun because he just broke up with his boyfriend.”

Jeno’s eyes grow. “He did?”

“Yeah. Just a couple of days ago, that’s why he invited us to drink at their dorm yesterday. I bumped into him earlier and he told me.”

“Now I feel bad for staking.” Jeno sighs.

“I’m sure he understands. We both had an important activity at the lab that’s why we couldn’t come.” Jaemin shrugs.

A comfortable silence envelopes the two as they watch a group of friends play soccer at the in-campus park. “You know,” Jaemin breaks. “I think it’s time for you to step up.” 

“Jaem--”

“No, seriously, Jeno, you have to do something about your pining! You can’t do this forever.”

“Watch me,” Jeno jokes.

“I’m serious.” And Jaemin reiterates that through giving Jeno a hard expression. “You keep hurting because Renjun gets into a lot of relationships, and he keeps hurting because he keeps getting into _wrong_ relationships.”

Jeno lets out a snort. “As if _I_ would be the ‘right’ one.”

“ _Might_ be the right one.” Jaemin sighs.

“Jaem, all Renjun wants in life is to find his soulmate, and I don’t want to be in the way of that because of my... _stupid feelings_.” Jeno sighs, too.

“Wow, that’s big coming from someone who never cared about the soulmate concept.” Jaemin rolls his eyes. “Just say you’re afraid and go.”

“And what if I am?” Jeno mumbles, and he genuinely sounds _scared_ that Jaemin momentarily feels bad for him. “What if I’m scared?”

“Then do something about it, Jeno. It’s not rocket science.”

∞∞∞

Ever since hearing the _horrible_ idea that Donghyuck planted in his mind, Renjun couldn’t stop thinking about the _possibility._

Would things really be better if it’s Jeno? 

I mean, yeah, it surely will be, because he was the only person that Renjun has longed for for years. But would it be worth the risk? But so what if it’s not? He’s always believed in the saying ‘You’ll never know unless you try,’ so why is it harder to do when it comes to Jeno? Is it because he’s afraid he might lose Jeno, possibly forever, when he finds out that he’s not Renjun’s soulmate? All the thinking makes him sleepless at night…

And just when he is close to breaking, he receives a text message.

∞∞∞

That night, Jeno tosses and turns on his bed. And all he does is wonder… of the what ifs, scenarios that had played in his head for so many years. What if it was him that Renjun was holding. What if it was him that Renjun chose, that Renjun loved? And these thoughts have always crossed his mind, but it is only now that it got overwhelming. Maybe it’s the thought that Renjun is single again, and this time, if he still lets this chance pass, he might miss it forever. Maybe he finally realized that his friends are right, that he has been pining long enough, and it’s time that he does something about it.

And maybe it’s his sagittarius moon that drove him to an impulse at three in the morning, but he picks up his phone to send two text messages.

**_to: jaemin_ **

_I’ll do it on your birthday_ _party this weekend._

  
  


**_to: renjun_ **

_Let’s talk at jaemin’s birthday_ _party. I have something to tell you._

∞∞∞

The weekend finally came, and Renjun finds himself at Jaemin’s birthday celebration. They rented a booth at their favorite bar, and it is packed with Jaemin’s close friends. He finally met Jaemin’s boyfriend, Jisung, who was immediately showered by praises and affection care of him and Donghyuck. Though he and Donghyuck are initially upset about Jaemin making them the last people to know, they couldn’t stay mad because of how adorable his boyfriend is. And though Renjun is yet again jealous of another one of his friends getting a soulmate before him, he’s genuinely happy for them. 

But that’s not what’s on Renjun’s mind at the moment. Ever since he got that text from Jeno at 3 in the morning, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He tried bugging the other to tell whatever it is pronto, but Jeno was determined not to tell it until tonight. 

Renjun was barely tuning in to Jaemin telling everyone about finally finding out his indicator (“It turns out, if I can feel Jisung’s physical pain, he can feel my emotional pain!”) when he receives a text from Jeno.

**_from: jeno_ **

_Go to the dance floor._

And so, Renjun does. He scrambles out of his seat and runs to where the staircase is. As he brisks his way downstairs to where the dance floor is, he scans the area to where Jeno may be standing. Halfway down the stairs, he hears the familiar intro of his song. _Their_ song.

And as the crowd cheers and dances to the upbeat rhythm of the famous one-minute citypop intro, Renjun finally spots him, standing by the bar, looking straight at him. And the way he stares makes Renjun’s heart pound hard in his chest.

_Don’t mess up the program of love_

_With your sudden kiss and fiery stare_

Without breaking eye contact, Renjun manages to take the last step down the stairs. And they’re still there, staring at each other, as if they’re the only people in the room.

_I cleverly plan every hello and goodbye_

_Because everything comes to an end_

Renjun gets closer, as if he’s always meant to do this-- end up with Jeno. And Renjun wonders if Jeno can feel it, too… the pull.

_Every guy that asks me out ironically looks just like him_

_For some reason my memories run wild_

Renjun knows that whatever Jeno’s about to tell him, it is something that will change their friendship, probably forever. And the thought gives Renjun the courage to tell Jeno something he has been keeping to himself over the years.

_Even if I drop my glass and suddenly cry,_

_don’t ask me the reason why_

Renjun was almost there… merely three steps away, when a guy suddenly comes in front of him.

“Hi, are you Renjun?”

_I'm just playing games_

_I know that's plastic love_

And just like that, Jeno watches Renjun slip away for the 14th time.

∞∞∞

When Renjun looks at where Jeno was standing, he is long gone.

∞∞∞

**_from: renjun_ **

_hey, where did you go?_

_i thought you wanted to say something?_

**_to: renjun_ **

_It’s nothing important. Just wanted_ _to tell you to cheer up after the break up._

**_from: renjun_ **

_oh, i thought it was something else._

_plastic love played earlier._

_:)_

  
  


**_to: renjun_ **

_Haha, yeah._

_Weird coincidence._

_By the way, someone_ _approached you._

**_from: renjun_ **

_yeah. he asked me out._

**_to: renjun_ **

_Nice. Haha._

_Did you say yes?_

**_from: renjun_ **

_yeah. i did._

**_to: renjun_ **

_That’s great :)_

No, Renjun didn’t say yes. But later on, he met the same guy again and they started dating.

And no, it wasn’t a coincidence that Plastic Love played that night.

∞∞∞

Jeno finds out about his soulmate two years later. 

It started when he moved to his own apartment, where whatever bizarre thing appears, he would know for sure it came out of nowhere because there are no moms, or Xiaojun, or Xiaojun's boyfriend to point a finger at.

Maybe he has always thought, at the back of his mind, that his moms are right. That the things that started appearing in his room ever since he was 11 are too strange to be a coincidence, but he just chose to pay it no mind. 

Maybe he has already been sure it's something out of ordinary when more things kept on appearing in his room even back at his college dorm, but he also paid them no mind. 

Now that he has no one to blame for these instances, not even his friends who only visit once or twice every six months, he's finally come to the conclusion: this isn't normal.

Still, he isn't entirely convinced that it had something to do with his 'soulmate', if he indeed has one. 

He can't be blamed, though, because the things he gets literally give no clue as to whom they come from. 

Plushies, keychains, some coins, several packs of gum, Jeno even got a sock that had a too-eye-popping design to be his or his mom's. He also got a lot of handkerchief, at least once or twice a week, which would made Irene freak out, because she gets upset whenever Jeno loses his hanky.

When he grew up, so did the things he gets. A convenience store receipt, a ticket stub of an R18 film, a condom, scratch papers of math exercises, another sock, a boxer short (that is too slim to be Jeno's, nor Xiaojun's, _nor_ Lucas'.

When he moved into his own apartment, though, the things that appear start to become more and more specific. 

An apron with dried paint all over it. An easel. A few paintbrushes. And just yesterday, a sketchpad… that seemingly has one subject in it.

A kid eating a bowl of ramen. A kid laughing with his eyes turning into adorable curves. The teenage version of the same kid, reading a book. The teenage boy playing video games along with three faceless figures. The grownup version of the teenager, just standing. Smiling. 

And on the last page is the man, Lee Jeno, wearing his white coat above his scrubs, reading the chart in his hands.

Jeno knows all too well where this occurred. It was three days ago, when Renjun went to the hospital where Jeno and Jaemin are doing their practical studies -- Jeno in General Surgery, Jaemin in Pediatrics. Renjun went to have his lower back checked because it had been hurting. They met him shortly at lunch to eat, but Jeno had to rush back to his department because a patient who underwent a surgery just woke up, and he needed to check their vitals.

Jeno smiles fondly as his finger traces the initials of the artist.

hrj

His soulmate.

∞∞∞

**Renjun** @huangrj 1s

im going to cry. i lost my favorite sketchpad ㅠㅠ i hate myself i keep losing my things ㅠㅠ

Twitter for iPhone

∞∞∞

Renjun _finally_ finds out about his soulmate a month after Jeno did. 

He's been stuck with a boyfriend who was only good at the start of their relationship. It was the same guy who approached him at the bar on Jaemin’s birthday. Renjun still can't fathom how he lasted two years with this sorry excuse of a boyfriend, but he did. What makes everything even more ridiculous is that he's Renjun's longest relationship. It's just unfortunate that Renjun decided to settle down from his dating streak when he landed to the worst one.

But Renjun had enough. So when his boss granted him two passes to an all-expense paid staycation at a ski resort in Pyeongchang, Renjun decided he would end it once and for all there. 

And he did. It is one of the best days of his life, except the getting lost part. 

You see, he decided to be dramatic and broke up with his boyfriend in the middle of the mountain. Of course, he was the first to walk out, because he wanted that encounter to be _his_ last words. 

Thinking how wonderful the rest of his night will be, spent at the separate room he booked beforehand (four floors away from where he and his ex-boyfriend stayed), Renjun didn't expect to get lost on his way back. 

Panic rises from his chest when he can't spot the familiar building of the hotel. He fishes out his phone from the pocket of his ski jacket. He anticipated his signal reception to be weak, since he had been having a hard time sending messages and emails these past few days and the area is pretty remote. But Renjun is surprised to see the signal bar full. He doesn't think about it too much, though. What's important is he can use the maps app to get him back. He enters the hotel's location, and starts to follow the directions when the page loaded. 

Somehow, the maps keep on making him go downhill, until he lands to a place where there's less snow and less cold. Starting to feel a little bit hot in his padded jacket, Renjun shook it off of himself along with his head gear. Good thing he left his skiing board to his ex-boyfriend. He'd let that guy deal with carrying it back himself. 

Renjun starts walking again, and he tilts his head in confusion when he sights the sea.

"I didn't know Pyeongchang had a beach…" he mumbles. 

A few more walks later, he spots a restaurant named 'Busan Delicacies', and it makes him smile sadly.

_Jeno moved to Busan 2 weeks ago because of his reassignment. I wonder if he's coping well there._

Over the years, his friendship with Jeno didn't change, but that means it also didn't progress. Up until now, his feelings remain sealed, and only time will tell when it's too overwhelming to burst out. 

Renjun sighs. Things would've been better if he’d found his soulmate already.

_Why can't Jeno be my soulmate?_

As if on cue, his phone vibrates, indicating he has arrived at his destination. Melancholic because of his recent thoughts, Renjun enters the building without looking at its exterior-- its _name._

He walks straight to where the elevators should be and goes up to his floor. 

In the hallways of the floor where Renjun's new room is supposed to be, he's taken aback by how it looks entirely different from the hallway of the floor where he roomed with his ex. It looks more like a hallway of an apartment complex. Renjun just shrugs it off, though, thinking that floors of the same building can vary in design and layout.

At last, he's in front of his new room-- 723, and was about to insert his keycard to the slot when the door suddenly opens. And there, right in front of him, stands Lee Jeno, just as wide-eyed as he is.

Jeno racks his brain as to how to explain this situation to Renjun, because it's already clear to him, only to him, that Renjun experienced their two-way indicator, where he got lost and landed to where Jeno is. 

Renjun thinks it's got something to do with his mind.

"Shit, Jeno. I'm so sorry… I got lost in the mountains, and maybe I hallucinated on the way down that I thought I was walking back to my hotel, but really I rode the bus all the way to Busan… I- I'm just really sorry for this inconvenience."

But of course, it's Renjun. He's never an inconvenience to Jeno. So he let Renjun in, pushed him to the bathroom so he could take a hot shower, and cooked beef hotpot (Renjun’s favorite) for their dinner just so he could sip something warm. 

After dinner, they sit on the couch to continue watching the movie that Jeno started before Renjun came. 

At first, Renjun stayed a few safe feet apart from Jeno, but due to a sudden surge of bravery, Jeno pulled Renjun closer in a cuddle.

"I hope you don't mind. I'm feeling kinda cold," Jeno says. 

With his head on Jeno's chest, the latter's heartbeat ringing on his ear, Jeno's arms around his waist, the same strong arms enveloping him in warmth he has never felt before, Renjun feels like he's in the best place on Earth.

"Not at all," Renjun replies.

Because who ever minded being at _home_?

When Renjun wakes up the next day, it is to the sound of clanking utensils and frying noises in the kitchen outside. It must be Jeno cooking breakfast for them, and the thought makes Renjun smile. He wants to get up already and help Jeno, but he still wants to catch some sleep, so he closes his eyes and dreams some more. When he wakes up once again, the movement from the outside has stopped.

He rises from the bed, does some stretches, then walks out of the room. He sees the food already set on the table: two bowls of rice, a variety of side dishes (that no doubt were sent by Jeno’s moms), a pot of _kimchi jjigae_ , and fried salmon.

Renjun’s stomach rumbles at the appetizing view. He looks around and sees no sign of Jeno, and concludes that he’s probably in his bedroom, so Renjun turns to the hallway leading to it.

When he opens the door to peek inside, he hears the sound of the shower coming from the inside of the connected bathroom. Deciding he’ll wait for the other to finish, Renjun lets himself in to look around. The first thing he notices is the view from the glass door leading to a small balcony. The undrawn curtains sway to the wind that seeps through the room. The natural lighting it gives off makes Renjun feel cozy. He likes this room, and albeit the simplicity, Jeno did a gread job at designing it.

Jeno has always preferred things in minimalism, and it delights Renjun how that never changed after all these years. The room is painted white on the ceiling and wall, and its flooring is made of neat ash wood, save for the white carpet in the middle of the room. It consists of a bed and only a few furniture (all colored in the same beige) like a nightstand, a huge closet, a dresser, and at the far corner facing the bed, a bookshelf. Renjun walks to it and runs his fingers through the spines of Jeno’s countless medical books, until he takes sight of a familiar one. It is not a book, though, more of a sketchpad. _His lost sketchpad._

And some of the things on the display suddenly become familiar-- his lost easel, the Little Prince book he lost when he was in high school, they’re all there. And for a second, it didn’t make sense to Renjun, because Jeno was never the type to steal things, whatmore ones that are so trivial. And there’s no way Jeno would’ve been the one responsible for his sketchpad when he’s just lost it recently, and he hadn’t met Jeno recently until last night.

But not long after, he’s put everything into pieces…

There were three instances where random things also appeared in his room, and they didn’t belong to Renjun or his dads. A pair of glasses, an anime magazine, and flashcards containing biology notes (he initially thought it was Jaemin’s). They all screamed _Jeno_.

And though Renjun was convinced he was deluded into getting to Busan out of nowhere last night, now it makes sense why he was led to Jeno’s front door.

 _Renjun was lost,_ both literally and figuratively.

Jeno finally comes out of the bathroom, wearing his work polo and slacks and still busy drying his hair. 

“Hey, Renjun you’re--” his words stop when he sees what Renjun is holding-- the sketchpad...

“I--” He can’t seem to form the right words to say.

“So you knew?” Renjun’s tone has a tinge of accusation.

Jeno isn’t able to reply.

“Since when?” Renjun puts the sketchpad back on the shelf and starts to take slow, excruciating steps towards Jeno. 

“Since a month ago,” Jeno finally finds his voice, and he stays rooted on his spot.

“And when are you planning to tell me?” Renjun is just merely a feet away, and Jeno already anticipates for the worst, maybe a slap?

“Soon, I swear. I’m sorry, I just didn’t know how to break it--”

No, it isn’t the slap that came.

It is a kiss that has been long overdue for years of mutual, unsaid affection. _Soulmates._

∞∞∞

**Two years later**

“I can’t believe out of all the things you’ll lose, it’s your stethoscope!” Renjun rants as he pulls the seatbelt to its lock.

Earlier, he went to give Jeno the stethoscope he lost in the hospital hallway when he rushed to do an emergency surgery. It then appeared on Renjun’s workspace at their shared apartment. When Renjun got to the hospital, they earned some teasing glances from Jeno’s colleagues because the latter kissed him as a thanks for saving him from trouble. And though that embarrassed Renjun big time that he wanted to hide some place far away, he still stayed to wait for Jeno until his shift ended so they could go home together.

“I’m sorry, okay!” Jeno answers while maneuvering the car out of the parking lot. “It was just really hectic.” Renjun only hums as a reply.

It’s been two years since they finally got together, and almost a year when they decided to tie the knot. Though it is not the _perfect_ relationship, it is Renjun’s _best_. Their friends and especially their parents are so supportive of them that it’s only been smooth-sailing.

Renjun couldn’t ask for anything more. After all, the soulmate he’s been wanting all his life turns out to be the man that he’s been loving for more than half of it.

A familiar string intro to Taylor Swift’s Invisible String starts to play in the vehicle audio, and Renjun presses the volume to a louder bar.

Renjun starts singing along, making Jeno laugh, because he has the most wonderful husband, and he’s singing their song. Their _new_ song.

_Time, curious time_

_Gave me no compasses,_ _gave me no signs_

_Were there clues I didn't see?_

“And isn’t it just so pretty to think that all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?” Renjun takes Jeno’s hand, the one that isn’t on the steering wheel, and gives it a kiss.

Fate has proven Jeno wrong, because soulmates are very much real, and his own is sitting shotgun beside him, just there to hold his hand forever.

**Author's Note:**

> ahhhh it's finally posted TAT first of all, I would like to thank admin bom for being patient with me TAT and for all the effort done to make this fest possible :3 i would also like to thank my wonderful betas for the nonstop support (hello cara and aya!!!!). love you :* to the prompter, i really, REALLY hope you'll like this. i did the best i could hehehe.
> 
> i would also like to thank these two songs:
> 
> [Plastic Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bNITQR4Uso) \- Mariya Takeuchi  
> [Invisible String](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuFnpmGwg5k) \- Taylor Swift
> 
> for being my major inspiration to the plot!!!
> 
> i made a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UbJVPFGJOslgPxmVV8PSI?si=i-QQfXtDSZyHtG-Ka7eiAw) of songs that inspired me while writing this fic!!!! hehehehe  
> thank you, everyone, for giving this fic a chance <333  
> jenrenists, this one's for u :D


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